


Nothing Special

by OniZenmaru



Series: How to (Not) Fall in Love With a Demon [1]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Ashe is super excited to meet an actual demon, Because he's a big ol' flirt, Comedy, Dedue just wants to garden, Demon/Human Relationships, Dimitri pretends to be human and fails, Eventual Romance, Felix is NOT amused, Female My Unit | Byleth, M/M, Male My Unit | Byleth, Minor My Unit | Byleth/Claude von Riegan, Sylvain is horny on main, Twin AU, and Byleth just wants to get through college, he also unknowingly turns into a ghibli creature, he does not have time for this nonsense, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-21
Updated: 2020-03-18
Packaged: 2021-02-16 12:27:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 17,141
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21507934
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OniZenmaru/pseuds/OniZenmaru
Summary: When Byleth brought home a...cat? Dog? Raccoon?Whatever it was, when Byleth brought it home he hadn't expected to wake up with a naked man in his bed.
Relationships: Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/My Unit | Byleth, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Series: How to (Not) Fall in Love With a Demon [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1550272
Comments: 35
Kudos: 455





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by @guessibetter wonderful art of critter Dimitri!
> 
> The subtitle for this fic is 'Byleth Avoids Becoming an Anime Protagonist'

Well, this is…‘interesting’ is one way of putting it. Now, Byleth might not always have the best memory, but he doesn’t recall drinking last night nor does he remember taking anyone back to his apartment. Yet there’s clearly someone in bed with him who hadn’t been there last night. He knows he should probably be more concerned than he is, but finding where his cat had gone off to seems like a more pressing matter.

Er…dog? Raccoon? Byleth still isn’t exactly sure what it is he picked up. It’d been a month since Byleth noticed something lurking around the dumpster in the garage of his apartment complex; he only ever saw it darting in the shadows when he was locking up his bike. It wasn’t until Byleth started leaving food, usually his leftover lunch, that he began to see what exactly was scurrying around.

And he had no idea what he was looking at…

’A small puffball with skinny legs’ was the closest thing he could describe it as. He couldn’t tell what color the fur was since it was so dirty, but he could at least make out a single eye peeking out (behind...bangs? Fur bangs? Was that a thing?) giving him a wary look as it devoured whatever Byleth was offering. He’d tried to touch it once but had done so without giving any kind of warning, so he deserved the reaction he got.

Its fur bristled as it bared its tiny, but sharp looking, fangs at him with a growl that almost sounded almost too cute to be taken seriously. But Byleth knew when he’d done something wrong, so he held both of his hands up in surrender. From the way the creature seemed to settle down, it was clear the action had worked.

The following day he tried again, but made sure to move slowly, his voice soft as he made his intentions clear. His hand was sniffed, and after a minute of what Byleth assumed was consideration, the creature brushed up against it. Despite how grimy its fur was, Byleth was surprised by how soft it felt to the touch.

He kept the contact brief, reasoning that it probably wasn’t wise to continuously touch something that spent its time in and around garbage. At the very least he added the short head pats to their usual routine, something the creature seemed to enjoy greatly. It had gotten to the point where Byleth actually found himself looking forward to seeing the living ball of cotton at the end of the day, which is why last night was so jarring.

The sudden downpour that happened during his afternoon classes had him worried for several reasons, the main one being if the mysterious creature had taken proper shelter. The garage might’ve given it a roof over its head, but water always managed to find its way in. The ride back to his complex left him drenched, but it was the further thing from his mind as he locked his bike up.

Byleth knew something was wrong when he set down some food and his little friend didn’t come bounding out to eat it, but before jumping to conclusion he decided to look around. His heart nearly stopped when he saw a dirty ball of fluff curled up inside the corner of the dumpster, and only let out a sigh of relief when he noticed the tiny movements it made. Byleth soon realized those tiny movements were it shaking, and he immediately scooped it up before rushing to his room.

In his haste to warm the unknown creature up in his bathtub, Byleth was treated to the sight of just how dirty it was. He’d…never seen water turn that particular shade of dark brown before, and he made a mental note to disinfect the tub once he was done. The water had to be drained three times before it stopped changing colors, but he was at least thankful that the creature didn’t struggle once it perked back up during the second round of washing.

Once it was clean and sufficiently fluffed thanks to a thorough blow drying, he couldn’t help but marvel at the natural color of its fur. The ‘bangs’ covering its face were a light shade of yellow despite most of the fur on its body being a white and grayish color. There seemed to be a strip of blue near its backside, but the longer Byleth stared at it the more he began to debate with himself if what he was looking at was fur or some kind of cloth.

Before he gave himself a headache, Byleth distracted himself with cleaning up the bathroom so he could take his own bath since it felt like an entire layer of grim had settled on his body. While he soaked, he began to wonder what he should do with the strange creature wandering around his apartment. The thought of taking it to an animal shelter crossed his mind more than once, as well as simply releasing it back into the wild once the weather cleared up.

The problem with the former was that he feared them shipping it off to some to some laboratory for study since it clearly wasn’t a normal animal, and the problem with the latter that he’d constantly be worried about its well being. By the time he exited the bathroom in his lounge clothes, he hadn’t decided on the best course of action which left him frustrated. The sight of his little guest tangled up in his blanket did make Byleth smile a little, and after a few seconds of watching it rolling around on the floor, he decided to help free it from its cotton prison.

They both ended up eating the two-day old takeout in his fridge for dinner, and after placing the dirty dishes in the sink, Byleth moved to his desk so he could study. He’d expected the creature to continue roaming his apartment until it tired itself out, so he was startled when it climbed up his leg and made itself comfortable on his lap. At first, he hadn’t been sure what to do since it felt like a space heater had been placed on his legs, but he soon got use to the added heat and even found it to be comforting.

After nearly nodding off a few times, Byleth took the hint that he should finishing up and turn in for the night. He thought about building the creature a makeshift bed on the floor using an extra blanket, but that idea was shut down when he watched it try and hop up onto his bed. _‘Well…one night wouldn’t hurt’_ was what he thought as he hoisted it up, and he couldn’t help but smile a little as it kneaded at one of his pillows before plopping down on it.

Byleth is positive the creature had been the only one with him last night; it was the last thing he saw before drifting off to sleep, so he isn’t sure where this grown man had come from. They’re asleep on their stomach, left arm lazily thrown across Byleth’s middle as they snored lightly. The top half of his body is bare, and after a few seconds of contemplation, he lifted the blanket to confirm his suspicions.

Yup…they’re completely nude.

As he mentally goes over scenario after scenario trying to explain how this person got in his apartment and, even stranger, his bed, they shift. Byleth holds his breath as blond locks cascade over sharp cheekbones, and he watches as his only visible eye begins to open. At this point he should be panicking to some degree, and he should absolutely be reaching for his phone on the nightstand next to the bed (unfortunately located on the side the stranger is sleeping on) so he can call the cops.

But he’s completely captivated by how _blue_ that eye is as it meets his own. The heavy fog of sleep that had settled in it slowly begin to lift, and once it’s sharp enough to really focus on him, it widens. Ah…Byleth should probably say something, but what does one say to a complete stranger in their bed? Not to mention conversational skills were mediocre at best. So, instead of racking his brain over something complicated, he settles on keeping things simple.

“…Good morning?”

Quiet a lot happens in a matter of seconds.

The nude stranger jerks away from him, but does so with so much force that he end up tumbling off the side of the bed. The loud ‘ _THUD_ ’ from the fall causes Byleth to wince, and he almost doesn’t notice that they’d taken most of the blanket with them. It ends up tanged around his legs, so as soon as he stands, he stumbles, which wouldn’t have been a problem had he fallen towards the bed. Unfortunately, he ends up falling towards the nightstand, forehead slamming directly into it as he lets out a strangled yell.

What a hell of a way to wake up…Leaning over the side of the bed, Byleth expects to see him either knocked out or bleeding profusely. His brow arches slightly when he’s greeted with neither; he’s curled up on the ground, hands firmly pressed against his abused forehead as he let out a long hiss of pain. There doesn’t look to be a single drop of blood on his hands or the floor, which is a relief since it’s one less thing for him to deal with, but at the same time…

Glancing over at the nightstand, it looks as if _he_ had done more damage to _it_ than the reverse if the large crack running along the surface is any indication. How strange…Shaking his head, he places his curiosity on the backburner for the time being and brings his attention to the person on the floor.

“You alright down there?” he asks, which causes the other to stiffen.

The hardheaded man quickly extract himself from the blanket before standing, and as he crosses his arms over their chest, Byleth tries his very best to not let his eyes wander downward. He chooses to focus on the pointed look being given to him, and Byleth takes note of the intimidating air that practically radiates off this man.

“Who are you? This does not feel like a netherworld, so where have you taken me? _Speak_ ,” the stranger demands as he narrows his eye at him.

“Um…I’m Byleth Eisner, you were in my bed when I woke up, and uh…a nether- _what_?”

“How could you possibly not know-”

Shutting his mouth suddenly, his single eye narrows down at him, and it’s then that Byleth notices just how much taller this person is than him. How in the world had they managed to fit on the same bed…? He snaps out of this mini trance once he notices that his uninvited guest is suddenly very close, and it takes all of his willpower to not flinch away in surprise. The close proximity allows Byleth to now see the scar that runs along the eye that’d been hidden behind his hair. Curious…but it isn’t his place to pry.

A small frown tugs at the corner of Byleth’s lips as the stranger inhales deeply, almost as if he’s… _smelling_ him. When he does it again, Byleth is sure that’s exactly what he’s doing. Straightening up, his uninvited guest regards him with less hostility and more annoyance than before, though Byleth think if anyone should be feeling annoyed in this room, it’s him for having some random guy sniffing him.

“You are human,” he says matter-of-factly.

“As far as I know, yes,” Byleth says, not really meaning for that much sass to slip into his tone, but oh well.

He’s given another annoyed look, but instead of a rebuttal like he expects, the man touches his chin and begins to mutter to himself. Byleth only catches a few words like ‘human realm’, ‘magic’, and ‘contract’, yet it does nothing to help him understand the situation. Once he finally stops his nonsensical rambling, their gazes meet once more.

“Even if you are human, I suppose as a courtesy I should introduce myself. However…since I do not sense a contract between us, I will not give a random mortal my true name,” he says, which causes Byleth’s brow to twitch. “So…I am Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd, one of the three great Demon Lords, and king of-”

**_BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!_ **

The now named Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd (god that’s a mouthful) jumps at the sound of his alarm suddenly interrupting his little speech, all his previous bravado replaced with surprise. Since it’d be knocked off the nightstand from the previous impact, Byleth reached down for his phone so he can turn off his alarm. Is it really that time already…? Slipping out of bed, Byleth begins his usual morning routine, and mentally goes over his schedule for the day.

It isn’t until he’s fully dressed and toasting a piece of bread did he remember the naked man in his apartment. After a moment to consider, he pops another piece of bread into the toaster and heads back to his room. Dimitri must’ve realized he was naked since he’s now covering him his lower half with the blanket he’d slipped on earlier, and Byleth will admit that he’s both relieved and disappointed.

“I made you toast, and your free to take whatever you want from the fridge,” he says, which earns him a confused look.

“W-Wait, you’re leaving-?”

“My last class ends around 4:30, so I’ll probably be home around 4:50 since I need to pick up a few things from the grocery store.”

“Wh-What-?”

“We can talk once I get back. Oh, and if you seem some strange creature roaming around, leave it be since I don’t know how it will react around strangers.”

“H-Hey, wait-!”

“I’ll be off then.”

He can hear Dimitri continue to frantically call for him but ignores it in as he slips his shoes on by the door. As far as he’s concerned this is too much to deal with this early in the morning, and to make matters worse, he hasn’t even had his first cup of coffee yet.

Maybe with a little caffeine in his system he can figure this all out…and find out where the creature from last night had run off to.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part of this was written on my phone while I was visiting relatives for Thanksgiving, so I apologize for any mistakes.

“So…yesterday I woke up with a naked guy in my bed.”

“…Was he attractive?”

Byleth regards his sister for just a moment before answering.

“Very.”

She hums while taking a sip of her coffee, and he contemplates telling her what else had occurred yesterday. He could barely focus on class throughout the day, and who could really blame him after the morning he’d had? Being introduced to a self-proclaimed ‘Demon King’ had truly thrown him for a loop, but with the due date for two papers nearing, a tutoring session, and a stack of papers to grade for Manuela’s class, he didn’t have the time to deal with it.

Even without the proclamation, the mere fact that he had waken up to an attractive, naked blond spouting nonsense had his mind wandering. At one point he had to flat out apologize to Ashe for being so distracted, and bless his kind soul for not being upset when Byleth ended their session early. He managed to make it through half a stack of papers before the image of toned arms crossed across a broad chest began to plague him, and it was then that Byleth decided to throw in the towel.

Grocery shopping was a decent enough distraction, until slapped in the face with a prior observation he hadn’t the time truly process. While getting ready he hadn’t noticed any extra clothing on the floor, so either Mr. Demon King arrived at his apartment naked or…something? Byleth waged war with himself about what to do, because as appealing as it was to have a guy sculpted like a Greek god walk around his apartment in the nude, he needed some clothes.

Money was tight, but if he counted the purchase as an ‘emergency’ then maybe the iron grip he had on his budget could loosen just a bit. He chose a relatively cheap clothing store to shop at, and just going by the blond’s build and height, he picked out something that was a size bigger than what he usually bought. Byleth was going to just get a simple black t-shirt and jeans, but then debated with himself if a pair of boxers was necessary.

In the end he bought them to preserve his sanity.

Byleth spent the bike ride back to his apartment coming up with questions for the Demon Lord Dimitri to answer, the main one being **_why in the hell he thought himself a demon_**. It was an absurd thing to announce, and if Byleth could guess there was an even more absurd explanation to go along with it. He did not care for whatever wild tale the blond would spin, Byleth just wanted to know how he managed to get into his apartment.

As soon as Byleth stepped into his apartment, the creature from the night before came scurrying up to him as if in a panic. It pawed at his pant leg, and he immediately set the bags he was holding down so he could pick it up. A pang of guilt ran through him as the poor thing shook in his arm, and he apologized for leaving it alone with someone it wasn’t comfortable with.

Or so he thought.

He checked his entire apartment, even under his bed, yet Dimitri was nowhere to be found. Byleth would’ve written it off as the ‘Demon King’ simply leaving, but the door had been locked upon his arrival and all the latches on the window were still in place. So…where had he gone? Instead of feeding the frustration he could feel bubbling inside him, Byleth decided to feed himself and his temporary pet as a means of distraction.

He was a decent chef at best, but his little friend apparently didn’t care from the way it wolfed down the food he’d placed in front of it. Spaghetti with white sauce probably wasn’t the best choice since it ended up making a mess, which landed the two of them in the bathroom once more. Thankfully the creature was far more compliant than the first time he’d tried to bathe it; in fact, it looked downright relaxed as it soaked in the tube.

Byleth took that time to step out of the bathroom so he could gather up the necessary materials to construct a makeshift bed for the creature. Having it sleep on the floor seemed a bit cruel to make it sleep on the floor, so Blyeth made it a little space at the end of his bed using a few pillows and a spare blanket. Halfway through making sure the arrangement looked decent, he heard what he could only describe as a ‘poof’ sound followed by someone swearing loudly.

Fearing the worst, Byleth had rushed back to the bathroom and was met with a sight that had him brain blue-screening. There sprawled out awkwardly in his tub was a very confused and very angry looking Dimitri. He was once again stumped about how he’d gotten in, but even more so since there were no windows in his bathroom. There was no other point of entry he could’ve come through without Byleth noticing, so that only left one ridiculously absurd option left.

Byleth was a rational man, someone who believed there was a reasonable, worldly explanation for everything. So to accept that the creature he’d brought home and the naked man in his tub were one in the same went against everything he stood for. But as he stared at so called Demon Lord who once again demanded an explanation, it was hard to deny that the two of them shared similarities, at least appearance wise.

So he presented ridiculous conclusion to Dimitri, who in turn looked at him like he’d grown another head. _‘What in the name of the Lords of Old are you even talking about? You sound mad!’_ was his response, and Byleth couldn’t help but sympathize with his disbelief. In an attempt to convince the Dimitri (and himself) he brought up the picture he’d taken of the creature the night before once it was clean.

As he explained what had happened, he wasn’t sure what the blond was more perplexed with: the picture itself or his phone in general. It wasn’t the first time he’d looked at in such a way, and Byleth found it very curious that whenever his phone made any kind of noise, Dimitri would jolt back. He told himself to deal with one thing at a time, so he questioned what exactly the self-proclaimed Demon Lord remembered before he’d woken up in his bed.

Dimitri began to tell him about a potential war between Heaven and Hell, and Byleth had to quickly stop him in order to avoid a headache. He changed the question slightly, and instead asked what he remembered after he’d left that morning. He answered that he began to stress over how exactly he’d ended up in the ‘human realm’ and then…nothing.

The next thing he knew he’d somehow ended up in the tub, and with that admission Byleth was forced to come to terms with the truth. Not only was Dimitri the creature, but with so much missing time, he apparently was not aware of when he turned into it. That was as much nonsense as his mind could handle in that moment, so he handed the very wet and still naked Demon Lord a towel before going to retrieve his new clothes.

The jeans seemed to fit fine, but the shirt…Byleth should’ve gone up another size. The material clung to him in a way that left nothing to the imagination, and it really looked like if he so much as coughed the whole thing would rip. Unfortunately, he would have to suffer with it until the next day since none of Byleth’s shirts would fit him, and he was far more worried about their sleeping arrangements. A blanket at the end of his bed clearly wouldn’t suffice.

Thankfully Dimitri didn’t argue when Byleth told him to take the couch, though he seemed deeply confused when he mentioned that he could watch the television, but he needed to keep the volume down. Byleth had his hunches, but it isn’t until the Demon King asked what a television and that ‘small noisy box’ (his phone) was that all the pieces fall into place. Apparently, the underworld was a bit behind when it came to technological advances, and for some reason that didn’t surprise Byleth as much as he thought it would.

Byleth had far too much work to do to even consider going over the entire history of electronics, so he just turned on the history channel and hoped for the best. 20 minutes into his studying Byelth noticed how eerily quiet it was aside from sound coming from the TV, and as he glanced over in the general direction of where he’d left Dimitri, it took everything in him not to laugh. He was sitting far too close to the screen, and the way he glared at it made it seem like it had personally offended his mother.

He played it amusement off with an awkward cough, not bothering to see just what had ruffled his feathers so. Byleth may have pushed himself a little too hard, because he didn’t recall when he passed out from sheer exhaustion at his desk. However, he’d awakened that morning not at his desk but in his bed, which was a relief since it meant no stiff neck or keyboard impressions on his face. Creature Dimitri was asleep at the foot of his bed, and he made a mental note to thank Demon Lord Dimitri for moving him whenever he decided to pop by.

He also made a note to give the creature a proper name when he had time.

“…He also believes himself to be a demon,” Byleth says, earning a quirked brow from his sister. “A Demon Lord at that.”

He refuses to tell her about Dimitri’s transformation.

“Well…he doesn’t sound like the worst one night stand you’ve had. Remember the married guy?”

Groaning, Byleth wishes he could forget. At the time he hadn’t _known_ the guy was married, and only found out when he started bawling halfway through things about how he ‘ _shouldn’t be cheating on his wife_ ’. Byleth had spent most of the night consoling the man, and by the time the sun rose he was sure that he’d managed to save his marriage. Regardless, he hadn’t expected to spend his night in such a way, and to make matters worse he made the mistake of telling his sister. She had doubled over shaking in her attempt to hold back her laughter.

“I’ll take someone calling themselves a Demon Lord over potentially becoming a home wrecker any day,” Beleth says, and well, she has a point.

…Wait.

“We didn’t sleep together…I woke up and he was just _there_.”

“Then did he break in?”

“No.”

“…So, either you’re purposefully leaving an important detail out, or some divine being answered your prayers and dropped an attractive dude in your bed. If it’s the latter, I’m going to need the name of whatever you prayed to immediately,” she says.

He knows from her tone she isn’t joking in the slightest. Before he can say anything, he feels two arms wrap around his neck from behind, the subtle smell of pine giving away exactly who it is.

“Good evening Teach! Now, what’s this I hear about an attractive guy?”

Claude.

Despite the fact that Byleth is a TA, Claude seemed to view him as more of a fellow student rather than one of the people responsible determining if he passed his class or not. He didn’t exactly mind since it meant one less person placing high expectations on him, though that’s not to say that Claude thought him incapable. In fact, he usually showed his appreciation by being physical, something Byleth had given him permission to do.

As long as he didn’t do anything inappropriate, Byleth didn’t see a problem with Claude being overly affectionate. The only thing he put a hard boundary on where office hours: no assignment would be discussed after a certain point because Byleth needed a break.

“My brother was just talking about the mysterious gentlemen that materialized in his bed yesterday,” she says.

“Oh~? Two things that are right up my alley, gorgeous people and the supernatural,” he says, clearly amused.

That’s right…Claude and Ashe shared a unique passion for all things supernatural. Well…almost all things since Ashe was deathly afraid of ghosts, but other than that he and Claude talked extensively about everything else. He’d been on the receiving end of their excited ramblings more than once, so it was clear they were well-versed about the topic.

A light bulb goes off in Byleth’s head.

“Claude,” he starts, causing the person in question to shift so he’s resting his chin on his shoulder, “would you be interested in assisting me with something?”

“Now this is certainly a rare opportunity,” Claude says, a mischievous smirk spreading across his lips. “I’d be more than happy to, though I don’t think I’m asking for too much when I say I want something out of it. Soooo, how about in return I get a date-"

“Experience.”

“Huh?”

“You’ll be getting firsthand experience with something that personally interests you. It might even change your mind about a few things.”

At this Claude gives off a hum as his smirk is replaced with a pensive look. He might’ve presented himself as a flirt, but first and foremost Claude is an intellectual. As such he’ll jump at the chance to learn something new, and better yet, be proven wrong about something he thought carved in stone. His curiosity wins out, and while they shake to finalize the deal, Beleth sighs deeply as she watches them.

“Not to make myself sound like a consolation prize, but I’d be more than willing to go out on a date with you since he keeps dodging the issue,” Beleth says.

“I’d love nothing more than to ask you out, but I fear your dear brother here would maul me if I so much as mention your voluptuous-"

“ ** _Claude_**.”

“See?”

With a huff, his sister calls him stingy under her breath. He hadn’t exactly said no to Claude’s offers, mostly because it felt like he was playing a game rather than asking seriously, so dodging the issue made sense to him. As for his sister…he was merely being instinctually overprotective, because he knew better than anyone that Beleth is more than capable of taking care of herself. If she wanted to date him, he’d be fine with it, he just didn’t want Claude talking about his sister’s cleavage _while he’s sitting right there_.

“Anyway, I’ll be accompanying you two since you’ve gotten me interested in this attractive miracle,” she says after downing the rest of her coffee.

Byleth had expected as much so he simply nods. The rest of the time at the café was spent listening to Claude tell them about the latest gossip around campus, and he’s sure that if Hilda were here, she’d manage to find gossip within the gossip. It’s around 6 PM when Claude finishes talking about one of his classmate’s failed attempts to get a date (‘ _it was tragic Teach, I didn’t even see Lorenz the next day_ '), and Byleth thinks it’s about time to head to his place.

Halfway there Byleth wonders _which_ Dimitri is going to greet him, though he thinks having to explain either of their existences would give him trouble. Hopefully Claude could offer insight into what exactly he was dealing with, or at the very least confirm or deny if the dude in his apartment was an actual demon or some weird werewolf thing. He’s not sure why a werewolf would be any less ridiculous...but it was something other than Demon Lord.

Byleth had barely opened the door before he’s tugged inside, and he gives off a small ‘oof' as he’s placed on the couch. Dimitri paces back and forth in front of him, and he can’t exactly hear what he’s muttering about under his breath, but whatever it is clearly has troubled him. Nearly a whole minute goes by before he stops in front of him, and as he crosses his arms, Byleth takes note that he isn’t trying to be intimidating. If anything, he looks a little panicked.

“I have…a few questions,” he says, fidgeting all the while.

“Um, I’ll try to answer them to the best of my ability-”

“Is there magic in this world? This box has gone over the history of mages here, but all they’re doing is sleight of hand. There were no incantations, circles, runes, sacrifices, or even a…a real wand wave!” he says, sounding frantic. “Not to mention I cannot summon my relic, something that requires only the barest amount of magic to do, yet I feel _nothing_. So, is there magic here? _Actual_ magic? _Magic_ _that could potentially get me home_?”

O…kay…Byleth hadn’t been expecting all that. Obviously, there isn’t any magic ‘in this world’, and the closest thing he could think of that resembled it would be science, which is probably not what he wants to hear from him. His silence seems to make the Dimitri panic even more, and as he tries to think of a reply, he begins to feel guilty. Byleth might’ve been completely over the whole ‘Demon King’ shtick, but it really felt like he was about to tell a kid that Santa wasn’t real and completely shatter the hope they held inside their heart.

As he opens his mouth, something catches Dimitri’s attention, causing him to tense up. His entire face is dyed a deep shade of red before he practically sprints into the bathroom, and he slams the door so hard that Byleth feared it breaking. With a sigh he removes himself from the couch, ready to face the ones responsible for the others hasty retreat. Claude and Beleth stand side by side, and both wear the same deer in headlights expression that is, well, understandable. His sister is the first to recover, her hands coming to rest on her hips as she gives him a pointed look.

“Byleth… _that is not a_ **_guy_** …” she says, which is enough to snap Claude out of his own trance.

“That… _is a whole ass snack of a **man**_ ,” Claude says, and it’s been awhile since Byleth has seen him look _that_ surprised. “When you said ‘attractive’ I thought you meant a solid 8, that guy is a game breaking **_11_**. You’ve been holding out on us Teach.”

“Yes, I am fully aware of how good-looking Dimitri is-”

“Brother, that is the understatement of the century. That man is built like a Greek god-”

“- _however_ , there is a more pressing matter I need to discuss about him.”

As if on cue, Byleth hears that telltale ‘poof’ noise once more from the bathroom. Sighing deeply, he goes over and opens the door, not at all surprised when the little creature begins to paw at his pant leg. He scoops it up in his arms without a second thought, and something warm and fuzzy blossoms in his chest as it nuzzles against him. Welp, there goes ‘no getting attached’. He brings the bundle of fluff over to Claude and Beleth, who in turn give it a strange look, which is also understandable.

“What exactly is that…?” Claude asks, his hand hesitantly coming to touch its fur. He jerks it back when the creature growls and snaps at him.

“This…” Byleth takes a moment to finally come up with a name for the thing in his arms, “…is Dima, the fluffy version of Demon Lord Dimitri.”

“So, like his pet-”

“No, this is him.”

Claude laughs at this, telling him to stop fooling around as he holds his stomach. Instead of saying anything, Byleth merely goes quiet, which causes a frown to immediately form on his sister’s lips. She knows what it means. He stares at Claude, who still looks deeply tickled with his supposed joke, and makes sure not a single emotion shows on his face (which is easy). The longer the silence goes one the less amused Claude looks, the smile on his face slowly falling until all that’s left on his face is disbelief.

“You…You aren’t kidding?”

Another long sigh, and Blyeth is telling them everything that’s happened since yesterday, all while Dima eyes the two of them warily. He set the newly named creature down once he’s finished, who sniffs Beleth and Claude before retreating behind him. His sister crouches down and tries to get it to come over, but Dima just peaks out from behind his legs.

“Okay, so,” Claude begins as he strokes his chin, “from what you’ve told us, that doesn’t sound remotely like a werewolf.”

Ugh.

“What it does sound like is that there’s an internal trigger causing the transformation rather than an environmental one, and it’s just a matter of figuring out what that is,” Claude nods to himself, and Byleth is surprised at how well he’s taking the situation.

An internal trigger…The only thing that comes to mind is the other’s mental state, which is something Byleth would have to ask Dimitri about since he’s only ever seen the man as irritated, haughty, and anxious. Recognizing what Dima felt is a little simpler since he’s dealing with an animal that ran on the most basic of instincts.

If there’s one thing Byleth knows, it’s animals. He recalls that before discovering a distraught Demon Lord, he had last seen Dima in a state of relaxation, something a wild animal didn’t achieve unless it completely trusted its company. So to bring Dimitri back he would need to make Dima comfortable, which wouldn’t happen until the two of them were alone. Well, that’s one possible trigger down, though as he’s about to tell them his theory, there’s a knock at his door.

Claude is gracious enough to answer it for him, though the strangled noise he gives off causes Byleth to snap his head in his direction. ‘Tall’ is the first thing that pops into his head as he stares at the stranger in his doorway, especially since they’re a whole head taller than Claude. They mutter an ‘excuse my intrusion’ as they brush past Claude, who looks between the stranger and Byleth like he’s unsure what he should do. They observe their surroundings before their gazes falls on Byleth, or rather his general direction since they’re clearly looking at something below him.

It only takes a few large steps for them to cross the distance from the door to where Byleth is standing, and it would mark the second time in two days an intimidating stranger had towered over him. However, it only stays that way for a short while. He can’t help but flinch a little when they suddenly get down on one knee, their hand extending to the creature that still cowers behind him.

“Your Highness, I apologize for the wait.”

**_Oh goddammit, what fresh hell is THIS…?_ **


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year everyone! Thank you all so, so much for reading this silly little story of mine, your kudos and comments really make my day! Also, don't forget to visit the wonderful @/guessibetter whose wonderful critter Dimitri art inspired this whole thing!

Bored, board, bored, _bored_.

With a long sigh, he leans back against the counter top behind him, drink barely touched. Sylvain had only come to this club tonight for a quick snack, nothing too serious, but it’s becoming painfully clear that he might have to call it a night. He’s not usually this picky, especially since the dance floor is charged with so much sexual energy that he _should_ be drooling. But Sylvain wants to try something different tonight, because when you’ve lived as long as he has, mindless sex sometimes needs some spicing up.

A girl on the dance floor shoots him a look before muttering something to her friend, and the two of them giggle before shooting him a coy smile. He smiles back and waves, but as soon as they disappear into the crowed the smile on his lips does the same. Staring up at the ceiling, he can’t help but curse under his breath; being bored is obviously affecting the control he has over his charm, which Sylvain immediately decreases to a much more tolerable level.

As entertaining as the idea of damn nearly the entire club throwing themselves at him is, he isn’t there for that. Perhaps another time. Sylvain’s attention is drawn away from the dance floor by movement in the corner of his eye, and with a tilt of his head he watches as someone takes the stool three seats away from him. Well don’t he look…pleasant.

He can only think of two reasons why someone would look like that in a club like this: they were dumped, or they were forced to be here. If he has to take a guess it’d be the latter since Mr. Sourpuss hasn’t ordered the strongest drink in the club, in fact, he hasn’t ordered anything yet. He wonders which poor soul on the dancefloor had spent an indeterminate amount of time trying to convince him to come, only to have them be seduced by the sounds of awful EDM and the heat of sweaty bodies.

Sylvain had nothing to do with that thank you very much.

Turn back around to the counter, he thinks about his next move while staring at the other. At the very least he might make for interesting conversation, and if things go well, he might get that snack he’d originally set out for. So, he gets the attention of the bartender and has them send over a piña colada. Everyone liked piña coladas, right? Sylvain certainly does and believes it to be one of mankind’s greatest inventions.

He watches with great amusement as Mr. Grump gives them a confused look, and after they exchange a few words, they motion towards Sylvain. Mr. Sunshine snaps his head in his direction, and Sylvain in turn gives a sly smile that’s all teeth as he waves. There’s a scowl on his face, but after a few seconds he makes his way over, drink in hand.

“So, you’re the one responsible for this…” he says as he motions to the glass on the table, eyeing him with what Sylvain can only describe as contempt.

“Yeah, you looked like you could use a drink, and…maybe some company?” Sylvain says, turning up his charm all the while.

It’s not enough to send the club into a frenzy, but enough to get the guy interested, maybe even have him start warming up to him. The only thing he receives is a cold, silent stare, and even though his smile doesn’t falter, Sylvain still cocks his head to the side. Huh…alright then. He doesn’t mind putting in a little work for a meal. Sylvain is well aware that increasing his charm level this high for one person isn’t wise, but now he’s determined to see what kind of cute expressions this guy will make.

“Not to brag, but I’ve been praised for my conversational skills.”

“I see…”

So a little more.

“We could talk about whatever you liked, or we could go somewhere a little quieter.”

“Is that so…”

Okay, the charm he’s now giving off is getting dangerously close to ‘sloppy make out session in a dirty bathroom’ levels.

“Ah, but where are my manners? I’m Sylvain, and what might your name be? If you’re shy, I could always call you Baby or Sweetheart or-”

The feeling of something wet hitting the top of his head causes Sylvain to shut his mouth, and he looks up just in time to see the last few drops of the drink he’d sent over fall against his forehead. If looks could kill, the one Mr. Grumpy is giving him would be enough to strike him dead on the spot and send him to the deepest level of hell.

“My name is Felix,” he says as he slams the glass down on the table, and Sylvain is surprised it doesn’t shatter, “I _hate_ piña coladas, and if you ever speak to me again, I’ll shove my foot so far up your ass you’ll be tasting leather for weeks.”

And with that he storms away. Sylvain stares at his retreating back in stunned silence, and only snaps out of it once the bartender offers him a small towel to dry off with. While running the rough cloth over his head, he notes that it isn’t the rejection that has him surprised, that’s just a part of life. It’s the _lack of reaction_ that has him pausing; he didn’t see so much as a blush grace the other’s cheeks. That look of ‘you’re beneath me’ was constant, like the mere fact that he was breathing the same air as him was inconveniencing him in the worst possible way.

Sylvain… _kind of liked it_.

With a hum he takes in the other scent before it completely disappears, and he begins to formulate how he can get the two of them to ‘coincidentally’ meet again. His nose is strong, so it’d only take him a few days to find him if he put in the effort, and Sylvain very much wants to put in the effort. In fact, he hasn’t put in this much effort for an interesting meal for a while.

110 years to be exact.

He smirks as he thinks about this, because oh how wonderful the human realm has been for an incubus such as he.

* * *

The last few days truly made Byleth wonder when the universe was going to let him _rest_.

After being evaded by Dima, the tall, imposing stranger that had waltzed into his apartment introduced himself as Dedue Molinaro, loyal retainer to the King of the Faerghus Underworld. Byleth was truly thankfully for the control he had over his facial features, or else he’d be rolling his eyes in an overly dramatic fashion. He explained that he’d been looking for Dimitri for the past month, having little to go on until he felt a sudden surge of magic the previous day.

When Dedue said he’d also felt it early in the morning and once again mere moments ago, Byleth began to (sadly) understand what he was referring to. Evidently whenever Dimitri transformed into Dima and vice versa he gave off a short burst of magic, and Byleth could feel a headache creeping up from the base of his skull after having come to that conclusion. Too much…it was just too much for one day, so he ended up usurping Beleth and Claude out of his apartment with the promise of texting them later that night.

Then it was time to deal with his new company. Dedue was an imposing wall of a human being- er…demon being? Whatever the term was, Dedue was that, and it made him hesitant to say anything. That was apparently the wrong move because the two of them stood there in silence for a whole two minutes, and when it began to creep onto the third, Byleth finally spoke up. He explained the whole transformation situation the best he could, and after a brief flash of surprise on his face, Dedue hesitantly nodded.

However, Dedue looked absolutely scandalized when he picked Dima up, and told him point blank that he could not ‘manhandle’ the King of Faerghus. The creature in his arms apparently didn’t like his tone because it growled lowly before barking (squeaking), causing Dedue to quickly apologize as he gave a short bow. It was then that Byleth felt the urgent need to get Dimitri back, because he didn’t know how much longer he could take a stranger treating the powder puff in his hold like royalty.

It wasn’t exactly easy to go about his usual routine with the Demon Lord’s retainer silently looming nearby, or worse, hovering far too close. Since it was clear he wasn’t the talkative type (something Byleth could relate to), he did not speak to the other until he was about to cook dinner. Byleth might’ve been unnerved by Dedue's presence, but he was still a guest under his roof and he’d be damned if basic hospitality flew out of the window just because he was a little weirded out.

Even though his offer for food was turned down (Byleth still made extra), Dedue still hovered, though it seemed like he was far more interested in what he was doing rather than his treatment of his king. Dedue seemed a lot less…menacing while watching him cook, and Byleth filed that away in case it came in handy later. After eating, it had taken Dima a good 30 minutes to get comfortable enough to curl up on his bed, and another 10 to finally turn back into Dimitri.

After setting the Demon Lord’s clothes within arm’s reach, Byleth decided it was best to tackle the homework he’d been putting up off since the previous day. Whatever Dimitri and Dedue had to speak about had nothing to do with him, though he did make out something about a ‘eye-patch’ and ‘portal’ and that’s where he decided to no longer eavesdrop. Byelth managed to get through quite a bit of work before he felt a light tap on his shoulder, his body tensing because he knew he was about to be pulled into even more madness.

He held himself together the best he could during the conversation, but he did perk up when Dedue explain the trigger that made Dimitri turn into Dima. Stress, or rather, stress with a large helping of anxiety on the side. It made sense, especially after what had happened earlier that evening. He continued to explain that he had never heard of such a ‘curse’ before, so he would need to return home for further research.

Without Dimitri.

While Byleth had been diligently working, the two of them had attempted to return home, but according to Dedue there was something preventing him from bringing his lord. That would explain why Dimitri looked like he was about five seconds away from a total breakdown. Bowing deeply, Dedue apologized for not being helpful enough, and seeing Dimitri attempt to stop him had honestly been surprising. Byleth thought the whole lord-retainer system would be a lot more…rigid?

Based on the medieval literature he’d read in the past, he assumed there’d be a whole strict hierarchy, yet Dimitri continued to address Dedue as if they were equals. Once he realized equating human customs to those of demons would get him nowhere Byleth derailed that train of thought. He instead asked about the eye-patch Dimitri wore; it looked like the kind of run-of-the-mill accessory a pirate would wear, but he did not feel the need to voice that comment.

There was a long explanation about the lack of magic in the human realm, the need to bring magic endued items, and the cost of using magic in a world where very little existed naturally. In short, the eye-patch was infused with just enough magic for one use, and Dedue urged that it should only be used for emergency purposes. He wasn’t sure what would be considered an ‘emergency’, but he saw a look he couldn’t describe flash across Dimitri’s face. As soon as Byleth blinked, the look was gone.

Before hesitantly departing, Dedue made him swear to look after his lord to the best of his abilities, and the expression on his face was so serious that all Byleth could do was nod. During the three days of Dedue’s absence, he quickly discovered a very important thing about Dimitri: he was a walking ball of anxiety. He spent a majority of his time muttering about the possible state of his kingdom, and while admirable for a good ruler, it did nothing to keep him from stressing out and ultimately changing.

It didn’t seem heathy, so at one point Byleth told him that while in the human realm, he was no king. If his kingdom were in shambles Dedue would’ve told him such, and to believe the place he held dear could crumble merely because of his absence meant he had little faith in those loyal to him. To worry was commendable, but to worry excessively benefited no one. Dimitri had stared at him in shock, eye wide and mouth ajar as he tried to form a coherent response.

In the end looked away and muttered a small ‘ _I…see’_.

Dedue had returned early in the morning on the third day, and the solemn look on his face was a good indicator that he wasn’t bearing good news. Byleth had originally planned to head to class and leave the two of them on their own, not wanting to interfere with what was possibly going to be a heavy discussion. It wasn’t until he was slipping his shoes on did he hear someone clear their throat behind him, and he almost had to do a double take because of what he saw.

There had always been an air of regality surrounding Dimitri since the moment he…poofed into his life, even while he was worrying himself to death. But as he stood behind Byleth, hand rubbing the back of his neck and eyes averted to the side as his cheeks took on a pink tint, it felt like that regal mask of his had cracked. He looked less like king that demanded his attention and more like a man dealing with his own embarrassment.

When Dimitri asked if it was alright to accompany him, Byleth could only stare. He should’ve flat out said no, because he’d be far too busy with class to deal with supernatural nonsense. However, his early morning grogginess was actually making him debate the pros and cons of letting a Demon Lord wander around in the general public.

Apparently, he was quiet for too long because Dimitri began to fidget, caused Dedue to come to the aid of his lord. He made the point that perhaps fresh air would do his highness some good, and well…that made sense. Dimitri had been cooped up since the moment he appeared in his apartment and being confined to such a space for day did nothing to help his mental state.

So, with a very, _very_ long sigh he agreed to have to the two of them accompany him to the outside world. As soon as they set foot outside, it was like Dimitri was a kid in a candy store. His eye practically sparkled as he peered at the busy world around him, and when not jumping at car the sound of horns, he was asking Byleth a thousand and one questions about anything that caught his interest. Which was everything.

If he wasn’t so caffeine deprived, he would’ve found it…cute. Like he was walking a big golden retriever.

Their first stop was the coffee shop near campus, because coffee came before Demon Lords, their retainers, and potential curses. He ordered his usual black coffee, and since he didn’t want to deal with two demons bouncing off the wall, he ordered them chamomile tea (Dedue’s pleas to not worry about him fell on deaf ears). Even though he took it without hesitation, Dimitri did not drink a single drop of his tea the entire walk to Byleth’s office and seemed to content with just enjoying the aroma.

He didn’t think much of it, but he did at least ask if the Demon Lord disliked the flavor so he’d know not to get it next time. He cocked a brow at the conflicted look he received, and after a beat of silence passed, Dimitri offered him a small apology. ‘ _I cannot taste, so I’m afraid this is wasted on me_ ’ he had said, which was slightly confusing since Dima hadn’t seemed to have that problem. Well…he scarfed everything down, so it probably wasn’t the best comparison.

Regardless, he reassured Dimitri that he wasn’t mad and said he could keep the cup if he wanted to. His words made the Demon Lord relax, though Byleth hadn’t expected him to actually carry it around whenever he went. It made for a minor distraction when he was in the middle of class, though him having to take over after Manuela tapped out halfway through the lecture to nurse her hangover made him refocus.

Still, it was hard to ignore the two new sets of eyes staring at from the corner of the front row, and with about five minutes left in class he chanced a look in their direction. Dimitri and Dedue both looked…impressed? Byleth had not thought standing in front of 20 people and talking was anything impressive, so those looks confused him more than anything. Two whole class periods ended (miraculously) without incident, though he did notice quite a few of his students eyeing the new additions and whispering to their friends as they left.

Not having to deal with another class until the afternoon gave him time to recharge, and he usually would’ve spent that time writing his thesis or tutoring. Usually…there was nothing routine about today, which is how he ends up sitting across a table outside the library with two antsy demons. Dedue had wanted to discuss his findings regarding his lord’s condition, and since Manuela was still napping in their shared office, the library seemed like the next best place.

When speaking about supposedly fictional topics, he thought it best to do it around fictional literature. If anyone overhead their conversation they’d think they were talking about a book rather than having a serious conversation.

“I would like to start off by apologizing,” Dedue says, “I scoured every textbook in the royal archive on curses, but…I could not find a single thing retaining to your condition, Your Highness.”

“Do not apologize my friend, you tried your best…” Dimitri says, shoulders slumping in defeat.

“…Ah…There was one strange thing that happened during my search…Annette wanted me to wish you a ‘safe trip’ despite the fact that I have yet to inform anyone of your absence…”

That didn’t sound suspicious at all, but Byleth keeps his comments to himself as he nibbles on the end of the sandwich he’d packed himself this morning. Looking between Dimitri and Dedue, he watches as the Demon Lord eyes the paper cup in his hand, a thoughtful hum leaving his throat. He isn’t sure why that pensive look causes him to stare a little longer than necessary, but the moment their eyes lock, Byleth quickly looks away.

“If you wish, I will return to Faerghus as soon as possible to question her-”

“DID YOU SAY FAERGHUS?!”

The three of them jolt at the sound of a voice, one that sounds far too close and excited for Byleth’s liking. He quickly looks over his shoulder to see Ashe clinching a book in his arms, and…oh no…he knows _that_ look.

“As in the underworld Faerghus? The one ruled by one of the three great Demon Lords that is said to resemble a ferocious black beast?”

“B-Black Beast?” Dimitri chokes out, his cheeks taking on a rosy hue.

“Yes! A hulking beast that wears armor as black as night and rips the flesh from his enemy’s bones with his mighty spear Areadbhar!” Ashe says as he casually seats himself next to Byleth, as if he isn’t talking about something beyond morbid. “He’s so strong that it’s said he’s annihilated whole armies in a single swing with it! The chilly cold of Faerghus is nothing compared to his ruthless, icy heart!”

Byleth watches as the Demon Lord buries his face in his hands, and as he groans, he notices that the red on his cheeks has spread to the tips of his ears and down his neck.

“Is...I-Is that truly how humans view me…? As some kind of vicious beast…?” Dimitri asks, voice cracking a bit at the end.

Dedue gives him a sympathetic look while Ashe looks, understandably, confused about what’s going on.

“If I may, Your Highness, perhaps the information available to humans about on our kind is…skewed, to say the least. I would not be surprised if the Heavens have something to do with that.”

“Dammit, haven’t they done enough-”

“Um, excuse me,” Ashe says, earning the attention of both men, “who are you two?”

And that’s Byleth’s cue to step in. He quickly formulates an excuse about the two of them being in the drama club, because he refuses to drag anyone else into this mess. It’s bad enough his sister and Claude were involved, and even if Ashe had an interest in the supernatural, he didn’t think the boy is ready to deal with the _real_ thing.

“They’re my acquaintances from the-”

“I am Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd, king of Faerghus- OW, OW, OW! STOP THAT IMMEDIANTLY!”

His frown deepens as he applies more pressure to the foot under the table with his own, and he only lets up once he noticed the harsh glare Dedue is giving him. Really...does this man have any common sense? In his defense Byleth hadn’t properly explained that in this world one does not bring up that they’re a Demon King in casual conversation, and the only rule he’d given them before leaving the apartment was to not disrupt his class.

Still, he kind of figured Dimitri would be a little more careful about revealing his identity to a complete stranger. It’s probably why his loyal retainer isn’t chewing him out right now: even he knows his lord should’ve at least _lied_. Glancing over at Ashe, he sees him staring between Dimitri and Dedue, mouth opening and closing like he’s trying to figure out what to say.

Byleth should tell him to forget what was said…he still has time to fall back on his original excuse, add that Dimitri is the kind of guy who takes his acting seriously. But before he can open his mouth, he takes note of the look on Ashe’s face- oh no…no, no, no, _not that look **again**_.

The sheer amount of excitement he sees in those green eyes is enough to tell Byleth this situation has rushed right pass Reasonville. Sadly, if the pain he feels in the back of his head is any indication, this ride is heading straight for Headachetropolis. A part of him wants to ask Ashe how he can believe the other’s declaration so easily, but another part of him already knows why. Only a madman or the real deal would claim to be a Demon Lord, and right now Dimitri seems pretty sane.

“You’re…really one of the three great Demon Lords?! Th-that’s amazing!” Ashe begins but suddenly pales, the excitement on his face shifting to one of dread as he shrinks into himself. “O-Oh no…I’m so sorry! I said all those terrible things about you! I mean, I read a bunch of books that all said the same thing, so I thought it was credible- b-but that doesn’t excuse me being so rude! I’m so, so sorry, _pleasedon’teatmeIprobablytasteterrible_!”

“We do not eat humans…” Dedue says.

“R-Really? Well, I’m still very sorry!” Ashe says as his eyes flash with determination.

“It’s quite alright. I will admit I’m a bit, er…enthusiastic when it comes to fighting.”

Byleth’s brow twitches as he watches Dimitri flush once more while saying the word ‘enthusiastic’, and he wonders how much of an understatement that actually is. An image of a blood soak Dimitri on a battlefield briefly flashes in his mind’s eye, his smirk wide and dangerous as he slices through an enemy with his spear. He quickly shakes his head and files that away in the ‘Shouldn’t Find Hot but Does’ compartment of his brain.

“Shoot, I almost forgot! I said I’d help the gardening club after I returned this book,” Ashe says as he quickly removes himself from his seat.

“Gardening?” Dedue asks, and Byleth instantly notices how his usually stoic face shifts ever so slightly.

“Yes, there’s a massive greenhouse atop the science building, and the gardening club takes great pride in the plants they grow there! A friend of mine mentioned they’d need help harvesting some of their crops today, and since I was free, I volunteered.”

“Why don’t you have Dedue accompany you?”

All eyes fell on Dimitri, who simply smiles despite the attention. He goes on to explain that back in Faerghus his retainer had quiet the green thumb, and when not advising him, he was tending to the royal gardens or helping the staff prepare meals. It makes Byleth think back to when he’d first met the man, and his sudden interest in what he was doing in the kitchen made sense. Dedue tries to reason that his knowledge is limited to the flora found in Faerghus, but his lord simply brushes that off.

What truly seals Dedue’s fate is the look Ashe gives him, and Byleth can’t help but pity him in that moment. Ashe had always been a sweet, selfless person; he was far more willing to go above and beyond for others than bother them with requests. However, when he _truly_ wanted or needed something from someone, he would give others a look similar to a kicked puppy.

“Y-You don’t have to! Though I’m sure they’d appreciate the extra help, and I’d love to know more about Faerghus…b-but you really don’t have to come!”

And who in their right mind says no to a (cunning) kicked puppy?

The next time he saw Claude he’d have to tell him that even demons were not immune to Ashe’s puppy dog eyes, because it did not take long for Dedue to let out a sigh of defeat. He’d been beaten down by that look twice already, so Byleth knows defeat when he sees it. Dedue gives him a pointed look, and before he can say a word, Byleth promises to look after Dimitri.

He hasn’t gotten Dimitri or Dima injured (too badly) or killed yet, so he thinks he’s already done a decent job at being a caretaker. He’s given one last hard look before Dedue leaves with Ashe, and as they watch them go, he catches the expression on the Demon Lord’s face. A small smile tugs at his lips, his shoulders free from the tension that’d settled there the moment he’d sat down. It’s the softest Byleth has seen Dimitri look since meeting him, and the words slip out of his mouth without thinking.

“A royal affair?” he asks before slapping his hand over his mouth.

He expects Dimitri to flush and stammer something out, not for the man to actually laugh at his comment. It’s…pleasant.

“No, no, nothing of the sort,” he says, “it’s just that I know Dedue will no doubt run himself ragged trying to figure out a way to help me, and since it’s clear I’ll be here for an indeterminate amount of time, that is…far from ideal. He works hard enough back home, surely there’s no harm in him indulging in his hobbies while he’s here.”

Byleth gives off a hum of acknowledgment, and he’s once again struck by how much this man cares about his people. That much was painful clear by the way he constantly stressed himself out over the state of his kingdom, and it made him wonder if this is a case of the pot calling the kettle black. It almost makes him comment that perhaps the Demon Lord should take his own advice, but Byleth realizes that he too is in no position to judge others.

Keeping his comments to himself, he watches as Dimitri finally takes a sip of his cold tea, an unreadable expression crossing face as lowers the cup from lips. He gazes at it for a few seconds, though he doesn’t have time to ask if something is wrong because Dimitri downs the rest of his drink in one go. Byleth tries not to stare at the way his tongue darts out to lick his bottom lip, and he only looks away once he realizes the action in itself is odd given what he’d been told earlier in the day.

…Unless…

“I…can _taste_ this.”


	4. Chapter 4

Byleth knew when to give credit where credit’s due, something he didn’t always get to exercise with his students. Effort was not always rewarded, and there had been numerous occasions where a student had gotten a high grade despite the quality of their work being poor and rushed. So yes, Byleth could recognize when someone had tried their best even if the results were lackluster.

It’s the only thing that keeps him from losing it as he looks between the single, partially burnt egg Dimitri was proudly showing him and the disaster zone that is now his kitchen.

The moment the Demon Lord announced he’d regained his sense of taste had taken him by surprise, and even more surprising were his tears. When it came to dealing with others, he wasn’t always sure how to react when someone became overly emotional, a trait he and his sister shared (though she had grown considerably better at it than him). So, he wordlessly slid the other half of his sandwich over to him, figuring his actions would speak greater volumes than his words.

After a moment of staring at the sandwich in confusion, Dimitri offered him a small smile that did… _things_ to his insides, so of course he ignored it. It was a simple ham and cheese sandwich, yet the Demon Lord devoured it like it was the best he’d ever eaten. Well, if he hadn’t been able to taste, maybe it was. It felt strange considering someone over six foot who could clearly snap him half if he wanted to ‘cute’, but it’s the only thing that came to mind as Byleth watched him. He at least tried to not blatantly stare at the other, though after a while he simply gave up.

Once the sandwich was gone, they fell into an awkward silence, and from the way Dimitri fidgeted he knew he wanted to say something. For someone who was regarded as an imposing figure, his tells were painfully obvious for even someone as oblivious as Byleth to notice. Having a decent poker face seemed like basic trait for a ruler to possess, but he was once again basing that off human standards.

For all he knew, human could be considered far more deceitful than demons, though a little voice in his head told him dismiss that thought. Strange…

Clearing his throat, Dimitri told him that if he was going to continue to reside in his apartment, he wished to make himself useful. That sounded like a nice offer, especially since he could always use help despite how bare his apartment was. However…he questioned exactly what the Demon Lord would be doing; he didn’t want to assume he had zero experience with housework just because he was royalty.

Byleth had never seen anyone so happy to admit they had never so much as picked up a broom before, but he couldn’t say he was surprised. He agreed to the arrangement after a moment of hesitation, figuring that maybe Dimitri deserved a chance before he began fearing the apartment complex burning down. He’d at least go over the basics so the Demon Lord had some kind idea of what to do, because Byleth couldn’t be in the apartment 24/7.

He quickly found that Dimitri absorbed information quite well, his focus razor sharp as he listened and watched Byleth go over the fundamentals of housework. That did not, however, mean he was particularly good at putting what he learned into practice. More often than not something either ended up broken or ripped, and it took watching him crack a plat by _simply holding it_ to figuring out why that was.

Dimitri was incredibly strong.

And not ‘can open a jar without struggling’ strong, but ‘can lift heavy object like they weight like nothing’ strong. He’d been stunned to see how easily the Demon Lord had lift his couch completely off its legs just so he could clean under it, and oh the rampant thoughts he had to quell because of it. However, Dimitri viewed his monstrous strength has a hindrance, understandably so, and more often than not he’d end up changing into Dima out of sheer frustration.

To make matters worse, the Demon Lord had banned Dedue from aiding him unless the situation was life threatening. It wasn’t hard to see how much he struggled with the order; every time Dimitri made a mistake, he’d tense up, like he was holding himself back from going over to and correcting his lord. As much as he admired Dimitri’s determination to be helpful, nothing really got… _done_ , at least not in the fashion Byleth would’ve liked.

Enlisting Dedue’s help took a bit of work and required him to deploy a tactic he learned from Claude. Dimitri had said he couldn’t assist him…but he never once said anything about assisting Byleth _or_ Dima. He was given a look that clearly meant Dedue knew what he was doing, but in the end, he gave in and admitted that his lord was in fact a walking disaster.

This went on for a month and a half; if he wasn’t being followed around campus, some kind of mayhem was most likely taking place in his apartment. Every day it seemed like he was telling either his sister or Claude a new horror story about something Dimitri did, though he was a little confused why the two of them looked so amused.

_‘You say he’s a headache, but…you don’t exactly seem upset that he’s around’_ Claude finally told him while smirking, and Byleth frowned a bit when his sister agreed. Well…he couldn’t say he disliked having the Demon Lord around, even if his poor apartment suffered because of it. Silence had been his friend for the longest time; whenever he awoke in the morning, the only sounds that filled his apartment were of him getting ready for the day.

He was used to being alone, use to not having to utter a single word until he stepped into the coffee shop to place his order. But now? He was either awakened by Dima barking to get his attention, or by the sound of Dimitri trying his best to ‘help’ around the apartment. It was such a jarring change to his daily routine, but strangely enough it didn’t bother him as much as he thought it would.

Yes, the whole supernatural aspect of the situation was still ever present and still grated on his nerves, but…Byleth didn’t hate having company.

Today was one of the few days he didn’t have class nor had anything scheduled, so he intended to sleep in. However, his internal clock refused to let him fall back asleep, so he ended lying in bed for a good 20 minutes staring at the ceiling. At the 30 minute mark he decided to play around with his phone, though it was short lived since he wasn’t that enamored with social media like Claude and his sister were, and he didn’t feel like listening to music.

It was a full hour before he finally rolled out of bed, and he quickly noted that Dima hadn’t sprinted into his room to beg for attention. That meant chaos was brewing somewhere within his apartment, and he tried his very best to prepare himself for whatever he was about to see. But like always he was completely caught off, especially since he could smell the disaster before laying eyes on it.

There were eggshells across the counter, some of them with remnants of yoke and whites dripping out of them. The stove was in no better state, and from the black char in two out of the three pans he saw told him everything he needed to know. Glancing over at Dedue, the two of them share a silent conversation with looks alone, a talent he’d perfected when he and his sister were kids.

_‘Apologies, he was very adamant about making breakfast’_

_‘It’s alright, I know how stubborn he can be.’_

They both sighed in unison, and it was then that Dimitri decided to show off the fruits of his labor. A single, partially burnt scrambled egg in the center of a plate that looked too large for it. Since he could taste to some degree (there was still a bit of trial and error on their part, but chamomile tea was a constant), Dimitri had taken it upon himself to cook every now and then, and the results were…well…disastrous. If it wasn’t overly seasoned, Dimitri seemed unable to find that happy medium between burnt to hell and under-cooked enough that it might still be alive.

Byleth is honestly impressed the egg looks marginally edible, but it’s the goofy, proud smile on the Demon Lord’s face that keeps his anger barely above a simmer. Other than being a walking disaster, Byeth had found that Dimitri was eager to please, which seemed to be half the reason he tried so hard to be useful. So, he looks between the plate and the kitchen one more time, and with a huff he finally takes it.

“Thank you…now please clean up,” he says, his exhaustion apparent in his voice.

“Oh, yes, of course!” he says, and Byleth tries his best to not wince.

How can someone be so chipper this early in the morning…? Even Ashe didn’t become fully functional until around 10:30 and seemed to run on autopilot until then. Instead of dwelling on it, he seats himself across from Dedue with his plate, not even bothering with utensils. Dimitri manages to break only one pan while cleaning up, which is honestly an achievement so Byleth doesn’t make a fuss. At the very least, he makes a mental note to buy more eggs.

He remembers placing his head down on the table after nibbling on his ‘breakfast’, so jolting awake on the couch leaves him a bit disoriented. Those all-nighters were really taking their toll on him…He sees Dima curled up on the armrest and judging from the annoyed look he’s given he must have jostled or startled the creature from its nap. Scooping him up in his arms, he offers an apology after a long yawn, and all he can do is hope the huff he receives means he’s forgiven.

As much as he would love to lie back down and catch up on the sleep he so desperately needs, it hadn’t been his new position that’d jolted him awake. Running his fingers through his hair, he groggily tries focus on the where the loud knocking is coming from. Oh…someone’s at the door. Before getting up, he checks his phone for any new messages me might have missed after passing out; Beleth and Claude liked to give him a heads-up before visiting.

He frowns when he sees nothing new, and as he slips off the couch, Dima still in his arms, he briefly wonders if he’s mentally prepared for whoever is on the other side of the door. If the last few weeks are an indication, the answer is a resounding ‘no’, but he still makes an attempt to steel himself as he finally opens the door.

“I know it’s your day off so you’re not doing shit, so you’re going to help me- _what in the **hell** is that thing you’re holding_?”

Byleth slowly looks down at Dima, who looks none too pleased at being called a thing, before looking back up at Felix.

“Dima.”

“What the fuck is a- you know what? Never mind.”

His student scowls down at the ball of fluff in his arms, who in turn barks (squeaks) in retaliation. Felix is one of the more…interesting people from his class. He wasn’t exactly a problem student despite his habit of starting fights both physical and verbal, but he was a considerable handful to most teachers. But once he was wrangled in, he was an exceptional student whose sole drive was spiting his father.

“So, what am I supposed to help you with?” he asks, snapping Felix’s attention back to him.

“Right…” he says while crossing his arms.

Felix may be blunt to the point of being downright rude, but Byleth had noticed he had trouble outright asking anyone for help. He usually did so in the most roundabout way, and it really made him wonder if it was a pride thing or if it genuinely pained him to ask for assistance.

“Okay, look…” he starts, frown deepening, “this guy’s been stalking me, it’s the only way I can explain how we keep ‘conveniently’ running into each other. We ran into each other two days ago and out of frustration I agreed to go on a date with him, if only so he’d shut up and leave me the hell alone afterwards.”

It isn’t his place to jump to conclusions since someone could very well be stalking him, but Byleth’s first instinct is to believe that some poor sap had taken an interest in Felix and in turn Felix, well, _was Felix_. Dima gives his student what can only be described as A Look before curling up in Byleth’s arms, clearly not interested in the conversation.

“And how exactly do I play into all of this…?” he asks, head tilting to the side a bit.

“You’re coming with me.”

Byleth stares at him for a moment, not at all grasping the possible logic behind his involvement.

“…Why?”

“Whether you realized it or not, you intimidate people, so maybe having you around will scare him off for good.”

He isn’t sure if he should feel insulted or flattered by that statement, but he does know that if he doesn’t go along with Felix, there’s a chance his student won’t let him live it down. Other than his prickly personality, Felix was notorious for holding onto grudges with an iron grip, and the last thing Byleth needed was him glaring at him while he was trying to teach. The resigned sigh he gives off makes Dima eye him with concern, and after reassuring the creature that he’s fine, he agrees to Felix’s proposal. He’d really been looking forward to that nap…

“Good, meet me downtown in an hour,” Felix says, though before stepping away, he regards Byleth again. “Oh, and bring those two guys that keep following you around campus that look like they descended from Asgard. They can act as extra backup.”

While watching his student’s retreating back, Byleth heaves another sigh because now he has to work on getting Dimitri back. It’s not too much of a hassle since he’s done this enough to notice a pattern of sorts: food, bath, brush, and finally sleep. The trick is figuring out what combination would ultimately lead to Dima falling asleep peacefully, and thankfully the yawn that emits from his tiny body is all the hint Byleth needs.

Placing him on the couch, Byleth goes to retrieve a blanket as well as a set of clothes. Having a naked Demon Lord sculpted like a Greek god walk around your apartment sounds wonderful, but Byleth is a simple man so there’s only so much his poor heart could take. Though if he’s honest, suffering a heart attack from viewing someone too attractive doesn’t sound like a terrible way to go…and it’d get him out of working on that damn thesis.

A half and hour later Dimitri is back, and Byleth gives him and Dedue a rundown of the (unfortunate) situation he was given no choice but to participate in. It didn’t surprise him that the Demon Lord is adamant about coming along, saying that protecting his student is of the utmost importance. Byleth wants to tell him that, no, Felix does not in fact need ‘protecting’ and the mere suggestion would lead to his student breaking his kneecaps. Or at least attempt to.

Dedue apparently has plans with Ashe, though before he can even suggest not going, Dimitri quickly urges him to reconsider. It takes a bit of convincing, but Dedue eventually relents once Byleth mentions how dejected Ashe would be if he cancelled last minute. Kicked puppy Ashe is one thing, but Ashe when he’s genuinely upset? Dedue might be an absolute mountain of a man both in stature and resolve, but he does not think he could handle seeing Ashe like that (not many could).

Of course, this did not stop Dedue from giving him the _‘His Majesty is Important’_ speech that always left Dimitri’s face red with embarrassment.

Just as they were about to leave, Felix texted him the location of their…meet-up? Double ‘date’ (in the loosest terms)? Potential murder site? Whatever it’s called, they were supposed to meet his student near a café Byleth had passed a number of times while grocery shopping in the past. He never bothered with the place since the prices were a bit higher than he would’ve liked, so he hoped whoever decided to court Felix also had deep pockets.

Byleth had gotten into the habit of holding onto Dimitri if they left the apartment together, because the Demon Lord liked to wander if something caught his attention. As nice as it is that Dimitri is interested in learning about human society rather than plotting its downfall, having him roam unsupervised isn’t the greatest of ideas, especially since he has zero issue spouting off all manner of nonsense. So, depending on what he’s wearing, Byleth would hold onto either his sleeve or wrist to make sure he doesn’t go far.

Thankfully all Dimitri did this trip was bombard him with questions, something he’d much rather deal with than yanking back someone who could easily yank _him_ without even trying. They arrived at the café just as Byleth had finished explaining reality TV _(‘a decent look into human nature and their love of drama’_ ), and as he stands outside waiting for them, it’s clear from the way he holds himself that Felix does _not_ want to be there. His arms are crossed, jaw clenched to the point of looking painful, and if looks could kill the guy standing next to him would’ve dropped dead on the spot.

Once the guy looks up from his phone, something in the air shifts. It causes Byleth to stop in his tracks as he’s suddenly hit with a suffocating heaviness bearing down on him on all sides, and he watches as a look of what he can only describe as horror flashes across the guy’s face. He may be looking in their general direction, but Byleth can tell his eyes are trained to the person at his side. He doesn’t glance over to Dimitri immediately, not because he doesn’t want to, but because something deep inside his very core _screams_ at him not to.

But he forces himself to, and he can practically hear his father reprimanding him for ignoring his instincts. If the look Felix is giving could kill, then the one the Demon Lord has on his face could decimate an entire army. The hair on the back of his neck stands on ends, and as he tries to swallow the lump in his throat, Byleth finally realizes what he’s feeling. Pure, unadulterated, primal **_fear_**. It reminds him that Dimitri isn’t just some weird guy who can’t cook and acts like curious, bright eyed kid whenever he steps outside.

No, Dimitri isn’t even human, and right now he is…dangerous.

However, Byleth blinks and everything seems to settle down in an instant. The air no longer smothers him, though he does let out a shaky breath in an attempt to calm his nerves. The look on the Demon Lord’s face has schooled into something Byleth can’t decipher, but it’s much calmer than it was a second ago. The guy next to Felix is all smiles and waving at them, which seems to annoy Felix enough to make him elbow him in the side.

“About time you showed up,” Felix says when once they’re close enough.

“Sorry, we…” Byleth trails off for a bit, still a bit overwhelmed with what just happened, “…traffic.”

“You don’t even drive.”

“People traffic.”

His student rolls his eyes, and the guy next to him chuckles.

“Now that everyone’s here, let’s head inside- oh! Sorry, I haven’t properly introduced myself, I’m Sylvain,” he says, his smile widening as he extends his hand towards Byleth.

Before he can even think to shake it, Byleth feels another hand tightly grasp his wrist, and from the corner of his eye he can see Dimitri shaking his head slightly. He still doesn’t understand what’s going on or even why Dimitri seems so on edge, but Byleth chooses to heed the Demon Lord’s warning and simply nods at Sylvain. The corner of his smile twitches before he brings his hand back and settles it on Felix’s shoulder, who in turn slaps it away without a second thought.

“Let’s get this over with already,” Felix says, and Sylvain follows close behind him as he enters the café.

As if only now realizing what he’s doing, Dimitri quickly releases him and stumbles over several apologies. Tilting his head to the side, he doesn’t really think he’d done anything worth apologizing over, so he tells him as much while pulling him into the café. Felix and Sylvain are seated in a booth in the very back, which is fine with Byleth since he’s never been a fan of sitting smack dab in the middle of eating establishments.

They slip into the seats across from them, and Byleth glances to the Demon Lord the moment the air begins to spark with something. He hasn’t taken his eyes off Sylvain, who sits across from Byleth with a nonchalant look on his face while he rests his chin atop laced fingers. Even if he’s smiling, there’s an edge to it, one that Dimitri no doubt notices given how tense he’s become. Felix excuses himself to use the bathroom once their server deliver the menus and water, though not before flipping Sylvain off at his ‘don’t run away~’ comment.

As soon as Felix is out of ear shot, he turns his attention back to them, a smirk slowly spreading across his lips.

“Now _this_ is certainly interesting,” he says, eyes roaming between the two of them before settling on Dimitri. “What business could the King of Faerghus possibly have in the mortal realm?”

“I’d ask what an incubus from House Gautier is doing here, but I’m unfortunately aware of your…eating habits.”

…No…no, no, goddammit, **_no_**. Leaning back in his seat, Byleth stifles a groan as he runs a hand down his face. Things had been going so well; he hadn’t been given any new supernatural surprises, and it would seem he made the terrible mistake of believing he’d weathered the storm of absurdity. But here he sits: a supposed sex demon in front of him and a very irritated Demon Lord sitting to his side. He didn’t know if all this tension is from one of them being territorial or simply not liking the other…

Either way, Byleth cannot bring himself to care.

“Can’t deny what I was born to do,” he says, and Byleth swear he hears a hint of bitterness behind his words, “Also, isn’t that a little mean Your Majesty? Criticizing my eating habits when your contractor is sitting right-”

Sylvain shuts his mouth abruptly as his gaze slides over to Byleth, and he really isn’t a fan of the way his eyes wander his body. The thing that bothers him is that Sylvain isn’t looking at him like he’s a piece of meat, that Byleth could’ve handled, but he’s being looked at like he’s appraising an object rather than a person.

“…He’s not bound to you,” Sylvain finally says, the wicked little smirk from before returning as he speaks. “If that’s the case, I’d be more than happy to take him off your hands.”

Byleth wasn’t even aware that Sylvain had taken his hand until he’s bringing his knuckles to his lips.

“Oh the fun we’d have together, a tasty little snack before the main course~.”

The kiss sends an electric shock throughout his body, and the spot his lips are pressed against feels like its on fire. His body suddenly feels too hot and his head begins to swim because of it, but the worst of it all is that Byleth _cannot move_. Despite how much he wants to yank his hand away, his body doesn’t listen, and it becomes clear that the longer Sylvain touches him, the heavier the fog in his brain becomes.

Thankfully the trance or whatever is broken once Dimitri slams his hand on the table as he stands, and the deep, animalistic growl that emits from his throat rattles Byleth’s bones. He can clearly see the cracks running along the surface of the table where the Demon Lord’s hand is, and Byleth is sure that if he’d hit it with his fist instead of the flat of his palm it would’ve easily snapped in half.

“ ** _Cease your foolishness at once_ , _Incubus_** ,” he hisses out, causing Sylvain to quickly release him.

“Joking! Just joking!” Sylvain nervously laughs out, both hands up in surrender.

This doesn’t persuade the Demon Lord in the slightest; the oppressive weight from before slowly begins to seep back into the air, and now Byleth knows for sure that the sole source of it is _Dimitri_. He’s not sure _how_ he’s doing it, but as he glares at Sylvain like he’s about to slaughter him on the spot, the overhead lights begin to flicker. That’s, uh…concerning.

Since it seems like a hassle to explain to Felix and the staff why the 6’1 blond built like Thor ripped apart some unfortunate bastard, he gently tugs on Dimitri’s sleeve in order to get his attention.

“I’m fine, so calm down…” he says evenly, which apparently snaps Dimitri out of his own trance after a few seconds.

“A-Ah…A-Apologies Byleth, I did not mean to cause a scene,” he says before quickly sitting back down, cheeks flush with embarrassment.

Glancing around, there are a few concerned looks being thrown in their direction from both patrons and staff, but for the most part people seem to be either ignoring them outright or trying very hard to. Sylvain gives the two of them a surprised, wide eyed look that had Byleth staring right back with a hint of confusion. He doesn’t think anything that happened in the last few seconds warrants that kind of expression, though he refrains from asking in case Sylvain’s answer annoys him.

“Now I’m really curious why a big shot like yourself is here, though if I had to guess…war? Had enough of the Heavens and finally decided to attack their precious humans-"

“ _Nothing of the sort_ ,” Dimitri growls out, which causes the other demon to jerk back. “The issue is…complicated, and none of your concern.”

Sylvain goes silent, though from the way he keeps looking between the two of them, Byleth has the awful feeling there’s something brewing in that head of his. He’s proven right when the grin from before makes an unfortunate return, and just for good measure his fingers hover over the Demon Lord’s sleeve. Despite fearing for his life not that long ago, Sylvain actually has the gall to lean in, much like he’s seen Claude do when he was about to tell him something juicy he heard around campus.

He briefly wonders if the two of them would get along, but quickly shakes his head to rid himself of that awful thought.

“Oho…could it be that the fearsome King of Faerghus is _finally_ on the hunt for a lover?” he asks before giving off a thoughtful hum. “Hm, no, His Highness wanting to fool around doesn’t really fall under ‘complicated’ does it? So, if it’s not that, then…”

Byleth has not known this man for long, but Sylvain is clearly someone that likes to cause problems on purpose.

“…A spouse? That must be it, right? My oh my, The King of Faerghus is here to wed a human…how utterly **_scandalous_**! There hasn’t been gossip this delicious around the Netherworlds since the Demon Queen of Leicester married a human herself. Whatever floats your boat I say, though I do hope the wedding will be as, if not more, extravagant than hers~.”

He expects several things to happen next. For one, Dimitri could leap across the table and strangle Sylvain with his bare hands, and, well, Byleth doesn’t feel inclined to stop him this time. He could also haul Byleth out of his seat before storming out of the café, which doesn’t sound like a bad idea since it’d be his chance to see just how effortlessly the Demon King could lift him.

The sound of Dimitri sharply inhaling shakes him from his thoughts, and Byleth swallows thickly before chancing a look at the enraged lord. Well…he _thought_ he’d see an enraged lord but is instead meet with a tomato. Dimitri’s face is beat red, the tips of his ears and neck unable to escape the same fate. Byleth once again marvels at how expressive the Demon Lord is when he’s not stuck in his head; every emotion he felt is painted on face, and added with him seemingly floundering for words, it’s another thing he finds endearing.

A big, curious, protective golden retriever who wore his heart on his sleeve…and just happens to be a demon. What a weird little curve ball life has thrown him.

“Wh-What?! No- I- That’s not- Y-You’re mistaken! We’re not- We- I mean-!”

“Oh?” Sylvain cuts him off, smirk widening as he leans even closer to Dimitri, “‘ _We_ ’?”

“Would you stop harassing people, you goddamn weirdo.”

The other demon makes a strangled noise when Felix yanks him back into his seat by his collar, and Byleth has never been so happy to see his student. If Sylvain continued to goad him, Dimitri would without a doubt end up transforming, and Byleth really didn’t want to deal with that kind of attention from a semi full café. The chance is still there since he still looks like a flustered mess, so Byleth reaches over and takes his hand.

He feels Dimitri tense under his touch before slowly relaxing.

Their server hesitantly approaches to take their drink orders, and all the while Sylvain refocuses all his attention on Felix. Now that Byleth knows what Sylvain is, seeing them interact causes a bit of concern to bubble up in his stomach. His student might be capable fending for himself, but that’s when the other party is human and not a demon known for using supernatural seduction to get what it wants.

He’ll at least give Felix the benefit of the doubt, because the longer he watches them, the more he begins to realize Sylvain might need to pick someone else to be his ‘meal’. Everything Sylvain says irritates Felix to some degree, and he has zero issue insulting him to his face. If something vaguely flirtatious leaves the demon’s mouth, Felix is quick to shut his advances down with threats Byleth has little doubt he’d follow through with.

Sylvain takes it all in stride, or at least he appears to since, which causes Byleth to frown. Observing people was something he’d spent years doing, so he could usually get a feel for someone if he watched them for long enough. He understood the Sylvain that had provoked Dimitri since he had done little to hide his true intentions, and he certainly did little to hide how that he viewed Byleth as insignificant unless it was to get under the Demon Lord’s skin.

But the Sylvain that’s trying to woo Felix? He cannot see behind the thick mask the demon has put on, and the amount of control he has over every expression is both interesting and terrifying. As much as he hates to compare the two again, it reminds him of when he first met Claude. Byleth makes a mental note to buy Claude lunch the next time he saw him as an apology for the constant comparison to a sex demon.

By the time they’re finished eating and sipping on their after-meal coffee (he orders a parfait for Dimitri because he did not want to find out how caffeine affected him) Felix looks about ready to throw his drink at Sylvain, though the demon has proven that it’ll take much more than threats and harsh words to send him packing.

“Since this date has gone so well,” Sylvain takes a sip of his coffee before continuing, “how about a second one?”

“I would rather be torn apart by a pack of wolves.”

“Come now, my charm must’ve rubbed off on you a little-”

_「_ _Tsunagaru kimi no oto de sekai wa kawaru  
Michi no yukue egakidasu  
Terasu iro ni somaru keshiki  
Dokidoki suru isshun wa_ _」_

All eyes fall on Sylvain as he fishes for his phone in his pocket, and with a swipe of his finger he silences his ringtone.

“Sorry about that, just someone from work-”

“Why…” Felix fully turns towards Sylvain, something he hasn’t done the entire meal, “do you have Mio’s solo of _Stage by Stage_ as your ringtone?”

“Oh? You know about IdolM-”

“She’s by far one of the worst singers in the game.”

Byleth finally sees a crack in the demon’s immaculate armor; it’s the smallest of movements, just the twitch of his brow, but it still catches his attention.

“…Pardon?” Sylvain asks, smile straining a bit.

“You heard me.”

He can practically hear the flirtatious persona Sylvain had been trying to fool Felix with shatter into a million pieces. The smile he’d been flashing slowly slips away, replaced with a smirk with an edge so sharp it could be used as a weapon. His posture shifts so that she’s resting his cheek against his palm, and despite him looking so nonchalant, there’s an air of unwillingness to back down from whatever challenge Felix has presented to him. Byleth does not, in fact, know what that challenge is.

“Okay then…which solo do _you_ think is better?” Sylvain asks.

“Rin’s,” Felix says without missing a beat, and he scowls when the demon throws his head back and cackles.

“Of course, you’re a RinP! That would explain your absolute _shit taste_ ~.”

“Bold ass words from someone who probably thinks _Jounetsu Fun Fanfare_ is a good song _.”_

“It is.”

“Holy shit, you’re either lying or you’re deaf, those are the only reasons anyone would think that song is good.”

Byleth has no idea what they’re talking about, and this time he listens to his instincts telling him to stay out of it. He tries to get a grasp on the topic, but it seems like every other word that comes out of either of their mouths is in some other language. Dimitri looks equally confused as he looks between Sylvain and Felix as they gesture wildly, and when his questioning gaze falls on Byleth, all he can do is shrug.

It becomes painfully clear the longer the two of them bicker that they’ve forgotten all about him and the Demon Lord, not even so much as sparing a glance in their direction or even acknowledge them. If that’s the case…Standing, Byleth leaves a few bills on the table before motioning for Dimitri to follow him. Once outside the café, the Demon Lord gently tugs on his shirt, causing him to look back.

“Is it…wise to leave him?” he asks before casting as glance to the café window.

Following his gaze, he sees Felix jabbing a finger into Sylvain’s chest several times as the demon says something before laughing hysterically. Even though his student is fuming and looks about ready to strangle Sylvain, Byleth can make out the slightest upturn on the corner of his mouth that most certainly doesn’t look like a scowl.

“He’ll be just fine.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd like to apologize for shoving my love of fictional idols into another fic.


End file.
